The Swedish Embassy in Washington D.C. arranges seminars, exhibits and concerts with a certain theme. The theme for 2011 is “Fabric of Life”. The idea is to highlight everyday quality of life issues: How to solve the puzzle of modern life through the use of new services and products.
By: Sara Dahlén, SACC-USA.
Photo by Dakota Fine: Jonas Hafström, Ambassador of Sweden to the United States and Carl Jan Granqvist, restaurateur, Swedish Food Ambassador and founder of Grythyttan – Swedens’s first food university, at the program launch at House of Sweden, February 24.
- Lifestyle choices are crucial and we think it is exciting to combine a look at those choices with modern fashion design and other creative industries and, at the same time, high light classical trade promotions activities where Sweden and the U.S. have common ground, says Lennart Killander Larsson, Counselor for Trade Promotion and the team leader for “Fabric of Life” at the Swedish Embassy. The program will also reflect modern social phenomena through various artistic expressions, such as the successful Stieg Larsson’s “millennium trilogy.”
Interactive Exhibits, Seminars and Concerts
The program is filled with interactive exhibits, seminars, concerts and events. On the exhibition side, 17 female designers are highlighted to show Swedish creativity and to illustrate the great opportunities for international trade in modern lifestyle products. Another exhibit is Swedish Seed, showcasing Swedish inventions that help both children and adults, with a focus on safety and creativity.
The upcoming program seminars include topics such as female entrepreneurship, smart IT and design solutions that make everyday life easier, and ways for companies to achieve corporate social responsibility. In addition to Washington D.C., outreach activities will take place in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis and Chicago.
Lifecycle as Common Thread
The common thread of the program is cycle of life: child, teen, adult and senior.
- Everything is connected to man’s driving force for self improvement, how to choose a lifestyle and how to combine career with family. To provide educational opportunities for children and youth, create equal conditions for women and men, and take care of the needs and knowledge of the elderly puts great demands on business and society to generate long term, economically sustainable growth while at the same time being environmentally and socially responsible. We believe that a holistic view is important and that we can share many exciting ideas with our American partners in several of these areas, says Lennart Killander Larsson.
A Wide Perspective
The Swedish Embassy’s program activities in House of Sweden are the most extensive promotion and public diplomacy projects ever conducted at a Swedish mission abroad. Over 250 000 people have visited the House of Sweden since the opening ceremony in the fall of 2006.
Last fall, the focus was on infrastructure with the program Shaping Tomorrows World – Infrastructure & Mobility and prior to that the program was called Health & Care. The 2011 spring program is broader than those in previous years. The goal is to build on topics and experiences from previous years and apply a wider brush in public diplomacy.
Positive Feedback
The response from visitors has been extremely positive. The program launch on February 24 vas very successful with a full house where Swedish cuisine was served in combination with AV projections and a sing-along. The exhibits have attracted much attention and have received very positive reviews in the newspapers.
There is also a strong interest from the business world – both Swedish and American companies see the Swedish Embassy’s thematic programs as a good platform from which to reach out to their target groups.
For more information about Fabric of Life please visit the Swedish Embassy website.
Please also see the 2011 program for Fabric of Life.
Related articles:
